Diversify Science

Nature is full of diversity. But that diversity is not always reflected in the groups of people who study it.

UC Davis Ph.D. Candidate Jaclyn Aliperti was interested in that disconnect, which she and fellow members of the Wildlife Society Western Section Diversity Committee explore in
Diversify Wildlife, a six-minute film.

The video follows biologists into the field, highlighting projects from nest boxes and bears to skunks and porcupines. It also highlights the perspectives of researchers, grad students and professors who have faced a variety of challenges to pursue the field they love.

“I helped make this film because, while wildlife biologists often tout the importance of biological diversity, the field as a whole seemingly underrepresents the human dimension of diversity, such as differences in background, identity, cultural beliefs, and barriers experienced by the scientists that comprise it,” said Aliperti, who is with the Graduate Group in Ecology at UC Davis. “The film serves to inspire others to take a more diverse approach to studying wildlife.”